The present invention concerns a composting cage comprising an enclosure, which may be divided into a plurality of compartments, and offloading apparatus mounted below the enclosure in order to extract compost from the base of the enclosure.
In FR-A-2473038 and in the applicant's own earlier EP-A-1192098 the offloading apparatus for such a composting cage is disclosed as comprising an auger which is mounted below the enclosure and is capable of travelling there below from one end to the other whilst also rotating on its own axis in order to remove material to one side of the base of the cage. In order to remove compost material evenly from the base of the enclosure, it is important to try and move the respective ends of the auger at the same rate so that the axis of the auger remains substantially perpendicular to the direction of its travel. In the applicant's earlier arrangement, as described in the EP-A-119209, the respective ends of the auger were supported upon respective guide rails at the sides of the enclosure base and the auger was moved intermittently along these rails by a coordinated system of hydraulic rams at each end of the auger which operated in synchrony. While this system of offloading works satisfactorily, it is relatively complex and expensive to manufacture and maintain.
An object of the present invention it is to provide an alternative offloading system which is less complex and expensive.
EP-A-0281699 discloses a composting enclosure having offloading apparatus mounted there below in order to extract compost from the base of the enclosure, as aforesaid, wherein the offloading apparatus comprises an elongate cutter in the form of a motor driven endless chain on which cutting teeth are mounted. This cutter extends below the enclosure and is capable of travelling below the enclosure. It is mounted to the side walls of the enclosure so as to be suspended there below.
In contrast, the present invention is characterised in that the offloading apparatus mounted below the enclosure of the composting cage further comprises respective winch assemblies mounted along each side of the base of the enclosure, each winch assembly comprising a motor driven winch, a pulley mounted to an adjustable tensioning assembly at a spacing from the winch, and a winch cable extending from the winch, around the pulley and back again to the winch, said cutter extending below the enclosure, between the respective winch assemblies, in such a manner as to be movable by said winch assemblies in a direction substantially perpendicular to its elongate axis.
Furthermore, it is preferred that the offloading apparatus, comprising the cutter and the winch assemblies should be mounted separately from the enclosure, preferably supported directly upon the ground or floor.